Drawing FIGS. 1 and 2 are top plan and side elevational views, respectively, of a typical prior art restaurant installation (SN) representing an axially longitudinal (CC) row of consecutive seating stations (e.g. S1, S2, S3, etc.). The row seatings (SN) is laterally delineated by leftward (AL) and rightward (AR) parallel aisles of the restaurant flooring (G) whereby each seating station has a finite lateral-width (FW) therebetween. Respective seating stations comprise three laterally extending components which extend uprightly from the flooring (G) and including a pair of facing bench means and an intervening table having tabletop surface (TT) and elevating legs (e.g. TL, TR). In the typical installation SN, the bench means comprises terminally positioned half-benches B1 and B4 and two full-benches B2 and B3. Thus: seating station S1 is defined by half-bench B1, table T1, and part of full-bench B2; seating station S2 is defined by parts of full-benches B2 and B3 and table T2; and seating station S3 is defined by part of full-bench B3, table T3, and half-bench B4.
Because of the presence of the two aisles (AL, AR), such prior art installations (SN) are customarily designed of sufficient lateral-width (FW) whereby each seating station might accommodate a relatively large dining party e.g. five to eight persons. However, if the mix of diners awaiting seating accommodations includes an unexpected number of smaller parties e.g. four or fewer persons, it would be wasteful for the restaurateur to permit such smaller dining party to occupy an entire (FW) seating station. On the other hand, any attempt by the restaurateur to make full use of the entire seating station by assigning two smaller dining parties thereto is apt to be met with resentment at their being forced to share the same dining table with strangers.